Posts Tagged ‘planting’

“Whether you plant in the autumn or spring, there is typically only a ten-day window to get the precious seed into the ground – you have to act fast and accurately,” says Cameron McKenzie, Seeding & Tillage Manager for the farm equipment brand, Challenger. “Indeed, within that crucial 10 days, there is the absolute optimum day when everything comes together to create the foundations for the best possible outcome for the harvest.”

“With speed of planting critical, the latest small-grain air drills are the quickest way to cover the hectares while at the same time ensure precise seeding in either conventional or conservation tillage practices,” Cameron explains.

Good crop management means reducing as many risks as possible.  Timely planting rests on the days available to plant balanced with farm size. Operating larger equipment or moving at faster forward speeds can increase the productivity of the planting process. The objective is lowest cost of planting where investment in inputs (equipment/labour/seeds/chemicals) creates maximum yields whilst still working within the constraints of the planting window.

For successful seed germination, the ‘big three’ when it comes to planting management are adequate moisture, adequate temperature and adequate oxygen.

The correct moisture level is the key factor under your control. In dry soil, germination will simply not take place. In less than optimal moisture conditions, germination and emergence will be slow and uneven.

As for temperature, the chief crop management decision is seeding date. All crops will germinate more quickly in warm, moist soils. With deeper sowing, the seed is brought into a progressively cooler environment. Shallower sowing provides the warmest environment for germination.

Waterlogged soils are the main barrier to adequate oxygen levels and must be avoided at planting time.

Good seed-to-soil contact is necessary to ensure the seed has enough access to moisture to germinate quickly. Loose, cloddy seedbeds are peppered with air pockets that dry out the soil. Good soil closure (packing) around the seed helps minimise air pockets and maximise seed-to soil contact.

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As we gear up for the 2014 Farm Progress Show, we’re excited to share the full schedule of our educational series, a new addition to the AGCO lineup. The Fuse Technologies Pavilion, located on lot #1002, will be hosting a number of presentations covering a range of issues concerning technology, productivity and profitability. Presentations include:

• Who’s Watching Your Data? Corporations are interested in your agronomic data. What’s your position? We’ll help you decide by offering perspectives on the issue of data privacy. Wednesday, 10:00 a.m.
• There’s a Problem with Your Shoe! The secret to minimizing grain loss and maintaining a clean sample in higher- yielding, higher-moisture corn is in managing your combine’s shoe load. In this session, AGCO’s Kevin Bien explains why and offers solutions. Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. and Wednesday, 3:00 p.m.
• Advancement of Rural Cell Internet Coverage. Expanded cell coverage will enable new technologies on the farm. How can you profit? Tuesday, 2:00 p.m.
• Getting the Most out of Tillage. An informative presentation on the history of tillage, alternative tillage methods and how to optimize your tool’s performance. Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, 11:00 a.m.
• Reduce Compaction. Increase Yield. Soil compaction has been proven to reduce yield by as much as 10 to 15%. In this session, we’ll talk about technologies that can help reduce compaction, including tracks systems, large flotation tires and automatic tire inflation. Tuesday, 10:00 a.m.
• It’s All About the Kitchen! Managing job stress is an important aspect of farmer health and productivity. Here we make the business case for operator comfort and discuss recent equipment advancements, including cab and front axle suspension, ballasting techniques and guidance systems. Wednesday, 2:00 p.m.
• Turning Trash into Treasure. There are dollars to be made with the trash your combine leaves behind. In this session, we’ll discuss the emerging biomass market – what it is, how you can profit and how to get started. Tuesday, 1:00 p.m.
• Right Place. Right Product. Right Time. Accurate product placement is critical to the successful growth of a crop. This session will not only discuss the various product delivery options available but a number of other application- specific technologies that help deliver higher yields. Wednesday 1:00 p.m.

Please make sure to come early as seating is limited.

Not able to attend Farm Progress this year? Follow AGCO coverage on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube accounts.

Other important information:
2014 Farm Progress Show: August 26 – 28, 2014; Boone, Iowa
AGCO: Lot #1002

With the exclusive edge-drop technology and simple, positive air-metering system, White Planters’ row-crop planters have long been the industry leader in seed placement accuracy. Because they also have fewer parts than competitive machines, they’re known for their easy maintenance, as well as machine longevity.

Available with a full range of options and attachments, the new planters may be configured to fit any production system.

The new 9000 Series from White Planters® builds upon that reputation with several new innovations. For example, row unit adjustments are now more convenient and the new cast row unit consists of only three components, reducing part count by 70% as compared to previous models, and providing greater strength and durability. Available with a full range of options and attachments, the new planters may be configured to fit any production system, from conventional to no-till, and to plant crops ranging from corn, soybeans and sunflowers to sorghum, sugar beets and peanuts.

“We’ve been building durable, long-lasting planters for nearly 40 years, and we’ve learned what it takes to deliver seed placement accuracy in a wide range of conditions,” says Gary Hamilton, product marketing specialist with White Planters. “The extensive redesign of the 9000 Series puts it all together in one package and makes this the most significant introduction for White Planters in a dozen years.”

The series also includes an all-new 12-row, narrow-transport, three-section Model 9812-30, which offers 30-inch row spacing and the efficiency of a central fill system (CFS). As with other planters in the series, though, the 9812 can be equipped with either 2- or 3-bushel, individual row-mounted seed hoppers and is available with ground-drive or variable-rate, hydraulic-drive seeding-rate control.

“I’ve always liked White Planters,” says Alan Demmel, who purchased a limited production model of 9812 planters for his farm near Madison, Neb. “The new 9812-30 just seemed to have everything I had been wanting in a planter, especially the narrower transport width. It’s also a heavy planter with a lot of flexibility, which works really well for my no-till program.

“White Planters has always been known for being heavy enough and tough enough to ‘plant in concrete’ if you had to, so I guess that’s one of the things I like about them. I’m still going through the learning curve, but once I learn to use the precision of the new seed meters, I think it’s going to be a good planter.”

The 9812-30 joins two other three-section, narrow-transport models—the 9816-30, 16-row and 9824-30, 24-row 30-inch planters. The frames on all three models flex 21 degrees up or down at each wing for consistent planting depth across irregular terrain.

For full details about each of the models in the 9000 Series, visit white-planters.com or see your local White Planters dealer.

New to the Australian Market, the MF Precision Planter is generating interest amongst farmers and agronomists in Australia’s row cropping regions.

The Planter’s Positive Air Metering system (PAM™) handles seed gently and accurately with low, positive air pressure, resulting in controlled populations and higher yields for farmers.

Unlike vacuum seeding systems, which typically draw air from around metering units, The PAM™ system draws air from above of the planter’s row units. This reduces the amount of dust drawn into the metering system and the amount of wear and tear on parts – making the MF Precision Planter virtually maintenance free.

Demonstrations of the MF Precision Planter have been taking place at Griffith, a productive row cropping region in southern NSW and are set to move to northern NSW and southern QLD in the coming weeks.

Local farmers and agronomists are able to see first hand the exceptional performance of the planter in a variety of crops including cotton and corn and hear from the MF Seeding and Tillage Product Manager about the machine’s application in sorghum, sunflower, soybean and canola planting.

Australian MF Dealers in row cropping regions will also be undertaking comprehensive planter training, equipping them with the information and skills to support customers with knowledge that will improve the productivity of their farms.

The MF Precision Planter demos have also featured the MF7600 Row Crop Series tractor – impressing farmers with low fuel use and flexibility in various applications, it has proved the ideal row crop machine.

For more information take a look at the MF Planter and MF7600 this in-field video or this product walkaround video, or visit www.masseyferguson.com

The Sunflower® 9610 conventional drill delivers precise seed placement for grasses, legumes and small grains in conventional tillage systems. The 9610 offers 15- and 20-foot wide working widths, one of the industry’s largest-capacity seed hoppers, easily adjustable down pressure and a maintenance-free meter-drive system to help producers accurately and efficiently seed more acres in a day.

The Sunflower 9610 conventional drill is built on a heavy-duty frame and offers varied row-spacing options to meet producer needs. Two down-pressure zones ensure consistent seed placement in different soil conditions, such as behind tractor tires.

• Largest capacity seed hoppers in the industry

• Available in 15- and 20-foot wide working widths

• Row-spacing options of 6 inches, 7 1/2 inches or 10 inches

• Easily adjustable seeding depth in ¼-increments from minus 1 inch to plus 3 inches

• Single-arm-mount conventional openers placed at an 8-inch stagger for increased residue flow

• Choice of four press wheels for varied soil conditions

• Heavy-duty frame withstands the rotational forces created by the openers